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Massaging: Does it release toxins?

Tricky

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Tricky
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Ms. Tricky, like lots of people, is a big fan of massages. She has a friend who is a massage therapist. Her friend, and other massage therapists I've known, claim that by massaging you it causes your body to release toxins that have accumulated in your tissues. They always advise "drink a lot of water to rinse the toxins out of your body."

Now I'm not sure how much actual medical science is taught in massage therapy school apart from knowing the muscle groups, and I don't know enough about the human body to know if this is true or BS, but it sure sounds like BS to me. How does rubbing release toxins? What are these toxins it's releasing? Where do they go when they're released? Why would drinking water flush them out?

Now I know that many doctors advise drinking a lot of water and I'm certain there are good reasons for it, but I'm skeptical about the toxin release thing. But like a good skeptic, I'm willing to be educated. Does anybody have any experience with this claim?
 
If you rub hard muscles enough it will cause the breakdown of muscles leading to the release of myoglobin. Myoglobin can damage the kidneys in high enough concentrations. It is water soluble so drinking water helps clear it.

Of course the "toxin" is a natural compound in muscles and was caused by damaging the muscle tissue...a damage caused by the masseuse. Sounds like someone fell asleep during their classes.
 
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Not that I really try to apply logic to such claims but surely you could just as easily claim (with a fair degree of hand waving to be sure) that forcing the TOXINS out of the tissues in which they are "locked up" (and thus de facto harmless) into the blood stream where they circulate to vital organs such as your brain and pineal gland (aka The Third Eye) could um . . er . . kill you. :(
 
Toxins, or not , the Thai massuese I went to, said she could release more stress, albeit for a price. Never felt better!




I shall get my coat...
 
My massuese always mentions drinking water but nothing about toxins. This is purely subjective, but I feel great after a massage.
 
My colleague here in Vancouver has built an excellent resource for questions about massage therapy: [Save Yourself].

Plug 'toxins' into the search tool for a list of relevant articles.
 
What a fabulous site!

Such sense. Would that 90% of the Internet was this way rather than 0.000000001%.

:wave1
 
I imagine it's possible that if you had lactic acid buildup trapped in the muscle tissue and you got a massage, it would release that lactic acid. I suppose lactate could be considered a "toxin" even though it's a natural metabolite.
 
you feel better. It's relaxing. That's good enough reason.

I always wonder why they have to add all this extra stuff.

I am a sucker for a massage at an airport if I have time. Usually it's not very expensive, and helps me get through that long flight with my bad back.
 
Tricky said:
Ms. Tricky, like lots of people, is a big fan of massages. She has a friend who is a massage therapist. Her friend, and other massage therapists I've known, claim that by massaging you it causes your body to release toxins that have accumulated in your tissues. They always advise "drink a lot of water to rinse the toxins out of your body."

Now I'm not sure how much actual medical science is taught in massage therapy school apart from knowing the muscle groups, and I don't know enough about the human body to know if this is true or BS, but it sure sounds like BS to me. How does rubbing release toxins? What are these toxins it's releasing? Where do they go when they're released? Why would drinking water flush them out?

Now I know that many doctors advise drinking a lot of water and I'm certain there are good reasons for it, but I'm skeptical about the toxin release thing. But like a good skeptic, I'm willing to be educated. Does anybody have any experience with this claim?
Click to expand...

Well... it does release oxytocin. At least according to the studies I've read.
 
Your skin tissue does not store toxins, so massaging will not release toxins that aren’t there.
Nor do you sweat out toxins.
The muscle tissue generates lactic acid when it works, this is what make muscle grow or bulk up through weight lifting, but this is handled like all toxins generated in the body by the kidneys, the liver tries to metabolize ingested toxins, but anything generated internally is filtered by your renal system (at least it tries to)
 
Professional cycling teams all employ a masseur, and consider the post-ride massage essential.
I suppose (never having been a pro road racer churning up 100+miles per day) that the "toxin" in this case might be lactic acid... Or at least that's the thought.

However, so much in pro cycling is traditional; I don't recall seeing any real studies in support.
 
I thought myofascial release technique sounded like total B.S. when I first heard about it.

After using a foam roller on my legs after runs for a few months, I have to admit I think there's something to it. The sports medicine consensus is also onboard with it, to the best of my knowledge.
 
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